The Completed English Pennine Way - Reflections and Highlights

Reflections and Highlights of my Pennine Way walk

**The start of the Pennine Way, outside the Nags Head pub at Edale. © Duncan Smith**

**Swaledale in Yorkshire © Duncan Smith**

The most pleasant day for me along the whole Way was arriving at Wensleydale and then Swaledale soon after, two beautiful valleys in the Yorkshire Dales. Stunning! The 11 km section along the River Tees from Middleton-in-Teesdale with its profusion of beautiful wildflowers along the riverbank and meadows that bordered it. A heady smell of clover and other blooms filled the air. The river itself, rushing pell-mell happily beside me, was a delight. This was in such stark contrast to the steep hills, bleak moorlands and heaths I'd walked days before.

**River Tees in Yorkshire. Foxgloves growing along the banks.© Duncan Smith**

The worst memory was walking in the freezing cold, lashing rain across the bleak moorlands to "The Tan Hill Inn". I was really chilled and quite depressed by it all. It made me realize that the clothes I had, and some of the gear I'd bought was probably not really suitable for serious long-distance walking. A salutary lesson for me. Luckily, the weather on the Pennine Way had been reasonably kind to me for my first long-distance walk, so I wasn't tested too hard.

The Tan Hill pub on Sleightholme Moors. © Duncan Smith — **The Tan Hill pub on Sleightholme Moors.** **© Duncan Smith**

Other impressions were the vastness of the bleak moorlands, with miles of heather and peat. Very lonely places, totally unspoiled and wild. They were beautiful in their own way, but not the sort of place I would attempt to walk on my own in late autumn or winter. People that do, and camp, have my admiration.

Penyghent, High Cup, Malham Cove and Gordale Scar were all very impressive. The Kinder plateau, Black Hill and Bleaklow, vast areas of incredible peat, were kind to me, as they were relatively dry. It would have been a different story and incredibly confusing in mist, and absolute murder, if it was very wet and cold.

Camping for me is definitely the hard way to do long-distance walking. I realized this after reaching Malham. My feet were covered in blisters and the pain of which detracted from the enjoyment of the walk.

I was carrying far too much weight. Being my first solo walk, I was inexperienced in knowing what to take and what to leave out in my pack. My tent was far too heavy for a single person, and there were other things, plus clothes that I never used or wore. A big learning curve for me. Finding suitable rough-camping sites was also a challenge that I didn't enjoy.

**Malham Beck and Malham village from the top of Malham Cove. © Duncan Smith**

Once I got rid of my tent and other non-essential equipment at Malham, my pack was lighter. I wasn't so tired at the end of the day, and I enjoyed using the fantastic facilities that the YHA's offered and also the camaraderie of fellow hostelers. My journey became much more enjoyable.

The YHA at Hawes was a real standout for me as it was sited in a lovely market town with a pub and lots of shops to replenish supplies.

At Cross Fell, the highest point on the PW, the weather was kind and offered me a splendid 360-degree view. To the West, I could make out Lakeland, and to the North a glimpse of the northern counties and even Scotland.

Hadrian's Wall was very impressive, indeed. Walking along it was very tiring though as my body was fatigued after already covering 30 km that day. The path continually climbed steep banks only to plunge down again soon afterwards, to be repeated over and over for two gruelling hours. It was exhausting.

**Standing in Hadrian's Wall. The wall sits atop this wave of hills. © Duncan Smith**

The Hostel at Once Brewed, next to Hadrian's Wall, was totally different. Although it was classed as "Superior", it felt sterile and more like a bustling hotel than a YHA. Being on the main road, their car park was full of cars and coaches. It didn't bode well.

I was always told that, traditionally, YHA's, ALWAYS gave priority to walkers and cyclists, that's why they were set up in the first place. Later on, people in cars or coaches were gradually allowed to use them, but they had to give way to walkers and cyclists. Fair enough, as they had got there under their own steam. However, at Once Brewed YHA, I was initially turned away by the warden. He told me that they were full and I'd have to walk to the next one, which was 11 km away. I had already walked 40 km to get there, so I dug my heels in, pointing out what the YHA tradition was until he reluctantly found me a bed. I was not impressed.

The little B/B at the Uswayford Farm will remain in my mind. The people running it were really on their uppers and struggling to survive in what is a very inhospitable environment. Every day must have been a struggle. I take my hat off to them and have the highest respect for their determination and endurance.

**Uswayford farmhouse tucked among trees in the Cheviots. © Duncan Smith**

Overall, it was a hard walk, both on the feet and spirit. I had to really push myself at times. There were times I wanted to give up, but I learned a lot about myself in that I am not one to give up easily. I still carry that attitude forward to this day.

No matter how hard problems are, or seems to be, I never give up. If I plod along slowly and methodically, issues and challenges seem to diminish with each step, and I eventually surmount them. It is good to set goals, but you have to be determined and want to succeed in them, to be able to see them through.

I did the trip in 19 days and felt I did rush it a wee bit, probably because I was on my own. If I'd had company, it might have slowed me down. However, I did slow down at places that interested me, like Swaledale, Teesdale and Hadrian’s Wall, but peat bogs and moorland were really not my cups of tea.

**Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. Wild thyme in flower on top. © Duncan Smith**

Finally, if you are thinking about walking the Pennine Way, then GO FOR IT!! Make sure you have a good pair of comfortable boots and the right gear before you start. Try to keep your pack as light a you reasonably can. Even if there was a feather in your backpack, there would come a time when you will get rid of it to lighten it!! Trust me!

**Kathmandu Camping gear. © Duncan Smith**

If you complete it in one go you will have achieved a HUGE milestone in your life and set you in good stead for the rest of it. About 150,000 people set out each year to walk part or all of the Way. Some 3,500 will complete it in a single journey. However, of the total "thru-walkers" who start out, 85% will give up after just the second day!! Don't be one of them, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Never give up!!

**The Border Hotel at the end of the Pennine Way. © Duncan Smith**

Go well, but take time to smell the roses.

The start of my journey along the 492 km Pennine Way began here -https://duncangoeswalking.squarespace.com/blog-pages/the-english-pennine-way-day-1